New Research Reveals Being an Airbnb Host Is the Most Profitable Side Gig Out There

If you, like 24 percent of Americans, have been contemplating taking on a side hustle to supplement your income, you're going to want to read on. While plenty of platforms allow you to pull in some extra dollars, often while working from home, there is only one that can earn workers more than $500 a month, according to an analysis by the loan startup company Earnest.

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No, it's not Etsy, or even Uber or Lyft. The highest-earning digital platform is the home-sharing service Airbnb.

After compiling more than two years of data from tens of thousands of loan applicants, Earnest found that hosts on the short term vacation rental site make, on average, a whopping $924 per month. That's more than twice as much as the next highest-ranking service, TaskRabbit (average of $380/month).

But that's just an average. Earnest found a wide range of earnings, likely because Airbnb rates are dependent on your location and nearby hotel prices, among other factors. Some Airbnb users made less than $200 each month, while others brought in more than $10,000.

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